In the second part of Rona Munro's thrilling trilogy, innocent games merge with murderous intent in a violent royal playground of shifting realities and paranoia.

Crowned King of Scots when only eight years old, James II is the prize in a vicious game between the country's most powerful families. Seen through a child's eyes, the Scottish court is a world of monsters with sharp teeth and long knives.

Growing up alone, abandoned by his mother and separated from his sisters, James II is little better than a puppet. There is only one relationship he can trust – his growing friendship with another lonely boy, William, the future Earl of Douglas.

But the independence and power of young adulthood brings James into an even more threatening world. He has to fight the warring nobles who still want to control him, he has to make brutal choices about the people he loves best, he has to struggle to keep his tenuous grip on the security of the crown and on his sanity... while the nightmares and monsters of his childhood rise up again with new and murderous intent.

Please note this performance contains strong language and nudity and may not be suitable for children.

Access Information

Captions and signing cannot be viewed from the stage seats. Please book seats in the auditorium. If you have access needs regarding mobility, there are no wheelchair spaces on the stage, please call Hub Tickets on 0131 473 2089 to book the seats most appropriate for your needs.

Latecomers who have stage seats will not be admitted until the interval.

A co-production by the National Theatre of Scotland, the Edinburgh International Festival and the National Theatre of Great Britain

10-21 August 2014

This event was part of a previous International Festival and is therefore unavailable to book. The 2018 programme is now available to browse online. Click on What's On from the menu to see the full programme.